Awakening Instincts
by alphawolf96
Summary: Harry comes into his inheritance during the summer after fifth year. Now he has to deal with new instincts and feelings, a new guardian and a new way of life and all the stress of being the boy-who-conquered. Will Harry finally find the family he had been longing for? Deaged!Harry parental!snape. No Horcruxs. Some Dumbledore bashing. Abuse.
1. Chapter 1

**First Harry Potter fanfiction  
I got the idea from reading Cub by Jadie Stee. It will be similar but different so I hope she doesn't mind. **

**I love Sirius but I also like mentor/parental Severus too so I'm gonna wright about that.**

 **I know I have other stories I need to update, and I promise I will get to them and update, so those who are into my other stories, just be patient and enjoy.**

 **~oo0O0oo~**

It was hot. Harry could feel it pulsating under his skin. The flames licking just under the surface, trying to escape but trapped within the barrier that was his flesh. It hurt, it was so hot. He could barely tell where he was.

He laid on the lumpy, moth eaten mattress. The Dursleys didn't even have the decency to put a damn sheet on. The stuffy room smelled of heat and sweat and waste. The summer heat just added to the heat of his inner flames and to his torture.

He found himself once again thinking of Sirius. The warmth of his fatherly embrace that he would never get to feel again. His laugh, his teasing grin, his mischievous, dancing eyes. And the blank look on his face as he fell.

Harry sobbed out as another wave of heat overcame him. Sweat beaded his forehead and rolled down his face and into his eyes so he couldn't even open them.

 _How long has it been?_ It felt like it had been days, weeks even. _Oh God, I'm gonna die like this!_ The Dursleys had locked him in his room. Slipping food to him through the cat flap, not speaking to him, not even looking to see if he was there. He had to relieve himself in the waste basket in the corner of the room.

 _They wouldn't know I was dead till I started to smell of rot!_ Hell they would probably through his body into the ocean. No one would never know what happened to him.

 _Did anyone care anyways?_

No letters had come since the summer had started. Hedwig was at Hogwarts since Dumbledore had insisted it wasn't safe for her since she was so well known.

Maybe they had abandoned him. They finally realized what a waste of time he was after he messed up everything and got Sirius killed. Ron and Hermione probably realized that he was gonna get them killed if they continued to be his friends.

 _And Remus?_

The man hadn't spoken to him since his best friend had been killed because of his stupidity. _He probably hopes that I die here._ Because really there was no way that no one knew what was going on in the Dursley's home.

He dropped enough hints. He always asked to stay during the summer at Hogwarts. Dumbledore said it himself that he knew that he was unhappy but he had to endure it for the blood protection.

 _This is my punishment, I deserve this._

A wave of indescribable pain accompanied the heat this time. He didn't even have enough strength to scream. A heart breaking moan broke through his lips and darkness seeped into his vision.

 _I'm sorry Sirius..._

He lost consciousness.

 **~oo0O0oo~**

Harry woke to the feeling of bone deep weariness. He felt like he had slept for weeks but it had done nothing to touch the tiredness he felt deep within himself, within his magic.

It was when he tried to stand on weak limbs that he realized something had changed. He no longer had hands, or normal arms for that matter, He now had paws and animal legs covered with fluffy black fur.

The room seemed to dwarf him like it had never before. Slowly he turned his head and stared numbly stared at the swaying black tail and animal rump.

Harry stared down at his paws for a long moment before takining a deep breath-

and promptly fainted.

 **~oo0O0oo~**

 **Like I said, it will be similar to Cub for a while.  
Besides that please R&R and tell me what you think. Depending of responses, this story may be a multi-chapter or just a two shot.**

 **More will be explained in the next chapter. After the next chapter I will decide whether I will continue the story.**

 **So please R &R!**

 **-Wolfy**


	2. Chapter 2

**Sorry for the wait, this was one of the longest chapters I have ever written so it took a while in between school and stuff.** **Hope you all enjoy and please review I didn't get a lot last time and I'm really sad about it**

 **~oo0O0oo~**

 _ **Chapter #2**_

Severus Snape had a bad feeling.

It was one of those nagging annoying feelings that told you something is gonna happen, something important. He hated that feeling.

His already annoying headache started to throb when the sound of knocking resounded off the portrait hole. He moaned to himself. _Great, guests, today is just not my day._ He cursed under his breath as he went to answer the door.

"This had better be good, I was in the middle of a brewing a very volatile potion that needs my undivided attention," Severus growled. He was lying of course but there was no way for the old man to tell that, no matter how powerful he was.

"Ah yes, I apologize Severus from taking you away from your non-existent potion," Dumbledore said. His eyes twinkled with amusement. Guess the old fool could tell when he was lying. Severus growled lowly but stepped aside to let the older wizard in.

"To what do I owe pleasure of this visit?" Severus hissed. The pain in his head slowly getting worse as that annoying feeling in the back of his head continued to warn him of something. He really was in no mood to deal with Albus and his infernal twinkling eyes and amused smile that said, 'I know something you don't'.

"Well first, I wouldn't made some tea and maybe some scones, chocolate chip of course," The old headmaster snapped his fingers and a house elf popped into his rooms with the requested drinks and scones. Severus could feel his eyebrow twitch in irritation as he watched the annoying older wizard make himself comfortable on his couch in his chambers.

Pushy old goat.

With a resigned sigh Severus joined the old man, sitting opposite of him and sipping his tea, hoping it would calm him down.

The Headmaster stood a bite of a particular chocolaty scone, humming in delight before taking a sip of his tea also. Setting down his cup, the old man sad back in on the couch with a sigh of bliss before addressing the impatient potions master in the armchair.

"Well, we should get down to the reason I have come to bother you Severus," The headmaster said, pausing to take another sip. Severus resisted the urge to snap at the old coot to hurry up. It would probably make him talk longer anyways, he thought bitterly. "There was a disturbance at the Dursley's home yesterday afternoon."

The annoying feeling seemed to intensify at those words. Of course Potter would be the cause of pain. "What type of disturbance? And why haven't you gone to check on your golden boy?" Severus huffed. Not at all pleased that he was being bothered because of the Potter brat. Still he felt a twinge of worry. Potter might be a arrogant brat, but he was still a child and his student. And if this feeling he sensing was anything to go by, the boy may be in trouble.

"Well, as soon as I felt the disturbance I immediately checked the wards around the home. The were still holding strong and from what I could tell the boy is still in his home now," Dumbledore explained. "The Disturbance was caused by an influx of magic. By the magic signature, it is possible that either young Harry as had a late bout of accidental magic, or he has come early in to his inheritance like some children his age."

"Why are you coming to me about this if the boy isn't in danger?" Severus asked but somehow he knew what the headmaster wanted from him and he could feel dread twist his stomach as the feeling in the back of his head continued to buzz.

"I would like for you to check on Mr. Potter to see if he is in need of assistance. You know how coming into a person's inheritance can effect them. He is probable confused, I would like for you to go and explain to him what is going on. Especially since you went through a dramatic inheritance, you would be able to help the boy."

"No," Severus said bluntly. Setting his empty tea cup down.

"Come now Severus, surely you can take some time out of your very busy schedule in order to help an old man. I would go myself but I have been feeling a little under the weather since the defeat of Voldemort," Dumbledore said, trying to play the old man card.

Yes the golden boy potter had finally defeated the Dark Lord. It happened in the department of mystery, when the dark lord had tried to invade the boy's mind, Potter had actually been able to trap the evil wizard in his mind, and with a blast of pure magic, tear apart his mind. What was left of it anyways. The boy had been in a coma for days after. His magic depleted. By the time he woke up the world had already made a new name for him. The boy-who-conquered.

Severus heal his arm where the mark once laid. After the dark lord's mind was torn apart it seemed that the power he was using to control the dark marks was released. Most of his followers had died when the influx of magic tore the mark form their bodies leaving a burn when the mark once stood. Those who survived was soon caught.

He was caught also. If it wasn't for the headmaster and the boy who spoke out for him he would of stayed in that cell for the rest of his life until his mind broke. Dementors were more foul then he thought, it made him feel some respect for Sirius Black. The man had survived twelve years in that hell and was able to stay mostly sane. He may of hated the man but he did feel sorry that he survived all that time in hell and on the run and never saw his freedom come to pass.

"You owe the boy a debt, you know," Dumbledore stated. The potion master scowled at the old man. Seems the headmaster was done with the easy way, he was bringing out the harder spells.

Severus held the headmaster's eyes for a long moment with a glare. Dumbledore held just as long, his eyes still twinkling, knowing he won.

Sighing in defeat Severus nodded.

The foreboding feeling tingled again.

Damned Potter.

 **~oo0O0oo~**

after Harry had woken up he allowed himself a moment of denial. Letting himself believe that it was all just a dream before he gave up. It never worked anyways. _Why is it always me that weird stuff happens to?_

Even for a wizard, weird stuff always seemed to come to him, first the whole thing with the dark lord Moldyshorts, then the dragon, then the parseltongue, then the giant snake, the fugitive but innocent god father and the triwizard incident. Now this, seems that his like was gonna get any easier.

Slowly Harry tried to sit up. It was kinda hard considering his new limbs were shaking. It was like he couldn't get any strength into them no matter how hard he pushed them. He had a full body ache, like every muscle had been worked to the bone. A small whimpering mewl escaped his muzzle as he finally stood, nearly shocked him back onto the mattress. That sound did not just come from him right? Oh Merlin! He sounded like a kitten!

With another small whimper of distress that made him wince Harry slowly made his way to the end of his crappy bed. Now his bed was really just a mattress on the floor. It could barely be called a mattress it had no support, like the springs just gave up. So he was only a few inches from the floor, but to him, with his tiny tired body it may as well be a hundred feet.

Harry whimpered slightly as he slowly prepared to drop to the floor with a thud and a roll. Harry yelped as he collided with the wooden floor.

He hissed as the fall sent a jolt throughout his abused body. With much effort, he was able to stand fully. Thank Merlin he had left his trunk open, there was no way he would have been able to open it being an animal the size he was now.

It took the better part of five minuets to be able to actually climb into the open trunk and another five minutes to be able to sort dig through out all his clothes and heavy book to find what he was looking for.

The mirror that Sirius gave him. It was useless now, just a painful reminder of the man he lost and the life he would never have, but it was still a mirror and he really wanted to see what he looked like.

It took a little effort to pull the mirror on to the top of the pile of clothes in his trunk. It was slippery and he couldn't really hold on with his teeth. Seriously, if he had to turn into an animal why did it have to be something so small?!

Harry took a deep breath, preparing himself for what he was about to see. Slowly, ever so slowly he opened his eyes.

He mewled in distress as he saw the face of a kitten staring back at him. Well calling himself a kitten was a bit of a stretch. He was about the size of a young cat, not really a kitten, but it was easy to tell just by looking at his face that what ever type of cat he was, he was a baby version. He had pitch black fur covering his body. His ears were large but not as pointed as a normal cat, more rounded like a cub of a big cat like a panther. His head wasn't really the shape of a panther cub, he had seen some in the zoo. It was the first time seeing such large animals so he remembered them vividly, especially the cute baby animals. He looked more like a wild cat. He turned to take a look at his tail. At the zoo he learned that some big cats didn't have tails so maybe that would be a clue to what he was. But when he looked at his tail he was shocked to see not one but two tails whipping around. They had tuffs on the end that were almost triangular shape. Not normal.

He whimpered, oh Merlin! What type of cat was he!? He was hoping he had accidentally changed into his animagus form, at least then he knew he would be able to turn back. But it was pretty obvious he wasn't an accidental animagus. An animagus couldn't be a magical animal and the two tails thing was obviously magical. There was also the blue markings tuning down his sides and back that he hadn't noticed. They looked like tribal tattoos. He looked back and the mirror and noticed he had some markings under his eyes and on his forehead. He hadn't noticed them because he was in a bit of shock at seeing he was a _cat!_

Harry couldn't help but yowl in despair. Everything in his life was going wrong. First Voldemort comes back, then that toad starts "teaching" DADA, all the while he was being slandered. Then Sirius dies, all because of him, all his fault.

Now he was a magical cat and had no idea how it happened or how to change back or who to go to for help!

Harry couldn't help but continue to yowl in fear, he couldn't even cry tears. All he could do was scream in this animalistic voice. It didn't even occur to him to be silent. The only reason why the Dursleys had been ignoring him was because he was pretty much silent. So silent that they actually forgot about him.

He was too distressed. His emotions were overwhelming. He was usually able to keep his emotions in the back of his mind, but now it was like whatever barrier he had in his mind that kept his emotions at bay had been broken and now his feelings that he had been ignoring were overflowing. His grief for the death of Sirius, his anger at Dumbledore for all that he kept from him and all that the was still keeping from him now. The stress of the past year and his other school years. His longing for someone to see something was wrong with his home life and save him. The pain of being so lonely despite having friends. And his fear and confusion now that he was transformed without any explanation. The fear was so deep rooted, animalistic, it seeped out of his body in waves of cries and stress, What the hell was he supposed to do!

Harry was shocked out of depression when he heard loud banging on the door of his room. He could feel the vibrations of each hit against the door, his uncle was angry.

Before he could even think of hiding his uncle gave up on banging and decided to unlock the door and thrust it open. The door swung into the wall with a loud clattering crash that made Harry fur raise and arch his back stiffly in fright.

His heart nearly shuddered to a halt at the sight of his purple faced uncle looking down at him menacingly. His face seemed to grow a few shades deeper purple as he caught sight of the obviously magical cat staring up at him.

"That _freak!_ " he boomed as he leaned down to grab the cat. Harry finally came back to his senses. His instincts seemed to come over him in the face of real danger and without really thinking about the consequences he raised his paw, wicked claws unsheathed, and dug them into the flesh meat of his uncle's hand. Vernon pulled away with a howl of pain and rage.

Harry didn't give the man time to recover before he darted out of the room and down the hall to the stairs. Somehow he was able to get down the steps without falling over despite his small body but that was when he ran into another problem.

"Mum! Mum! Look! The freak brought one of his freaky animals home," Harry's baby whale of a cousin cried as he reached the bottom of the steps. The overweight teen had just walked into the house when he saw the strange cat running from upstairs, it only took a good look to realize it was freaky like his cousin.

Dudley, in a rare occurrence of quick thinking, quickly closed the door so the cat wouldn't escape. Harry's heart was throbbing in his chest and his breaths were quick and panicky. The over whelming instinct to run, to get away, was quickly getting overturned by the instinct to fight and defend himself, so when his fat cousin leaned down to snatch him from the ground, he jumped at the boy's hand.

Harry's fangs dug into the boy's flesh and his claws swiped and scratched at his arm. Dudley, like his father, screamed at the pain and shook his arm trying to dislodge Harry who just sunk his teeth in deeper, the taste of blood making him feel a bit sick.

Even in the aggressive state Harry was in he still heard the screech of his aunt who had just come from the back yard and the loud thumps on the steps as Vernon descended to aid his son.

Harry felt his scruff get roughly grabbed and didn't even have time to yelp as his was yanked from Dudley's arm, taking a good bit of flesh with him before being tossed into a wall.

Harry cried out as he hit the wall, sending shock waves of pain throughout his small body before falling to the ground. He coughed and wheezed as he painfully tried to catch his breath.

"What in the world is that!?" Petunia cried as she fussed over Dudley's bleeding arm as the boy wailed. Vernon didn't answer as he pulled the freaky cat up from it's prone position on the floor.

"It's bad enough that he has that rubby bird, which is freakish enough now he has a freaky cat, that boy must want the rest of us to look like freaks like him too. Bringing an animal like this into a house of normal people. Where is that boy? I'll teach him!" Vernon raged as he shook the little cat by it's scruff, ignoring the pitiful, pained sounds the kitten let loose.

"He's not here Vernon, he must of sneaked out. He must have been hiding the little beast. What should we do with it Vernon?" Petunia asked fretfully, she didn't like animals, the only one she willingly tolerated were aunt Marge's dogs. She hated the bird the boy had but she couldn't get rid of it because it was how the boy communicated with his freak friends. If the boy stopped sending letters they would know something was wrong and probably send someone to find out why the boy wasn't keeping contact.

But this cat. This cat had no reason to be here but to be the bane of their normal nice lives. If it were a normal cat then they could of given it to one of her neighbors like Mrs. Figg. But this wasn't a normal cat. It was magical and if anyone was to see it then they would know how abnormal the Dersley's really were. It could not leave the house, and it would not stay.

Harry's uncle grinned wickedly as he squeezed the cat's scruff making Harry yowl in pain. Dudley looked excited, eying the cat like a kid would an ant when holding a magnifying glass.

"We'll drown it and then throw it out on the free way. No one would know it had anything to do with us and it will teach the freak what will happen to him if he over steps with his freakishness," Vernon stated grinning down at the kitten sadistically.

"Let me do it dad, I wanted to drown one of Mrs. Figg's runt kittens after she yelled at me for kicking one of her cats but they always got away," Dudley said as he made grabby motions with his hands.

Vernon was about to answer when there was knocking at the door. The fat man huffed in displeasure before tossing the injured kitten into his son's hands. Harry made chocking sounds as Dudley squeezed him.

"Go to the living room and keep the beast quiet, we don't want anyone to see it," Vernon shooed his son away who excitedly clutched the kitten, a bloodthirsty gleam in his eye.

Harry whimpered fearfully in his cousin's grip only to earn a painful swat to the head for the noise. He was gonna die. His cousin and uncle were finally gonna kill him, and they didn't even know it. No one would. No one would check on him till they noticed he wasn't in school, that was months away. He was gonna rot on the side of a road in this cat form and no one was gonna know.

More knocking came from the doorway, loud and resounding. Like the ticking of his life away. He head the voice of his aunt calling "coming!" in a sickening sweet voice before the sound of the door being open. There was a long pause before his aunt let out an ear shattering screech.

"Vernon! It's one of them!" Loud thumps followed as her husband went to her. Harry couldn't see anything since Dudley was holding him behind his back as he peeked around the corner to the doorway. Harry knew who 'they' were, it was a wizard, someone had come!

"Good afternoon Dursley, my name is Professor Snape from Hogwarts, I have come to check in with your nephew," Snape! It was Snape! Harry had never thought he would see a day where he was relieved to hear that name.

"We don't want your kind here, it's bad enough you dumped that freak on our doorstep. Leave! Get off my property!" Harry heard his uncle snarl. There was a gasp from his uncle and a small screech from his aunt before Dudley let out a squeak and pulled his head away and back around the corner.

"I don't give a damn about what you want, where is the boy?" Harry heard Snape hiss. It was then that Harry came out of his stupor and realized he needed to get away from his cousin's grip and get to Snape. Harry was able to twist himself and sink his teeth into his hand again. Dudley screamed and nearly dropped him, but before he fell Dudley caught him, he tightened his grip till there was a small snap and a searing pain in his hind leg where his cousin had grabbed him.

Harry let out a screeching yowl of pain. There was a lot of noise suddenly, but Harry couldn't really focus on it. His mind was a haze of pain, it racked his small body, he was thrown into a wall then squeezed and then had his leg broken. He could barely breathe and the grip of his cousin's hand didn't help. But suddenly the pressure of the grip was gone and was replaced with large warm hands that lifted his body and stroked his fur.

Harry coud hear soft cooing noises and warmth as his body was tucked into a warm robe covered body.

His last thought before the world fell away was that Snape smelled like forest.

Then his world vanished.

 **~oo0O0oo~**

 **OK! That was chapter 2, I hope It's going well so far, it took forever to write and I'm pretty proud of it. Sorry about any mistakes my autocorrect makes fixing them difficult.**

 **Please Review it will help me get the chapters out faster**

 **Post any questions and I'll answer them in the next chapter unless they spoil it.**

 **~Wolfy**


	3. Chapter 3

**Wow its been a while huh? Two years. I really didn't mean to leave this story or any of my others alone for so long so as an apology here is the next chapter!**

 **I was gonna make it longer but I wanted to ask you readers your opinions on some little ideas I have hopping around in my head for this story and I didn't want to ask in an arthur's note so you'll have to settle with his short chapter.**

 **The questions will be at the end of the chapter. So till then enjoy this chapter.**

 _ **Chapter #3:**_

Conciousness came back slowly, and along with it came the pain.

It was like his entire body was one big bruise. Every part of his was throbbing in sync with the beats of his heart.

Harry couldn't help but whimper at a particular sharp throp, he curled in on himself, bring his paws to his belly and wrapping his tail around himself to bury his nose in it for comfort and warmth.

Wait... Paws?... Tail?

 _What in the name of Merlin...?_

Shock coursed throught Harry at the realization and his eyes snapped open in a flash.

It took a little too long for his vision to focus but left Harry with another jolt of shock when he realized that his vision focused completely. Usually everything father thatn a foot away from his face began to blur but he was able to see tiny detales on the other side of the unfamilure room he was in.

Speaking of which, where the hell was he?

His eyes wandered the room. He wasn't able to see much leaning against a strange but warm pillow, he couldn't move much either so he took in what he could. The was a fire place with a warm fire glowing strong on the hearth. The walls were cream colored not far was two tall book shelves made of dark wood sitting side by side and brimming with books. The floor was covered in a light colored carpit.

There was more to the room of course but he didn't really get a chance to look as the 'pillow' he was leaning in seemed to take in a big breath and let it out in a sigh.

 _It's alive!_

Harry's head snapped up and shock, twisting his strange new body around and painfully pushing himself way from his huge, living pillow so he could get a better look at it. His body gave a jolt of pain that caused a whimper from him. The sound was more like a pitiful mewling to his own ears. Which brought his mind back to the fact that he had _paws and a tail!_ It was then that he remembered that he some how turned into a cat thing. He twisted his head around to look at his body, hoping that it was all just a dream only to be dissapointed when he saw that yes he was a freaken _cat!_ This time it was a distressed yowl that left him. But before Harry could have a panic attack, he was jolted out of his thoughts as his pillow began to shake as if it was laughing.

Then the relization that his pillow was still alive and was now watching him also hit him. It was almost too much, the shocks he kept getting. He looked up at his living pillow only suck in a deep breath when he realized that curled around his body, that he was using as a pillow was a huge, panther-like cat!

With a frightened yelp Harry and tried to run away from the massive cat only for his ribs to scream in protest and his right hind leg to give out. He didn't even make it off the pillow they were both laying on and ended up curling up in a pitiful ball and whimper in pain.

The huge cat seemed to sigh before Harry got another shock when a familier voice seemed to echo in his head.

 _Foolish kitten, you are too injured to move._

Harry jumped at the sound, letting out an embarassing kitten sounding yelp. His eyes traveled up to the large panther, fearfully studying the creatures face, looking for signs of an attack.

The panther looked like a larger version of his kitten self. The adult panther creature had a long sleek body, unlike regular panthers, this one was thinner looking like it was made to be swifter like a cheetah but still muscled and powerful looking. His coat was jet black and shined blue. His face was covered in the same markings as his own smaller form, but they were colored differntly then his. The markings on the older cat were deep red. It also seemed that the larger cat had bigger ears than a panther. They still weren't as big as a normal cat's but they weren't the same a panther, too big and a bit too pointed. The older can's was obviously much bigger than him too, which is why Harry backed away some more.

 _Calm down Potter, I didn't go through the trouble of saving you only to eat you later!_ The voice, that was apparently coming form the panther, huffed. If Harry wasn't so panicked he would of laughed at the exasperated look the panther seemed to have. Who knew big cats could even have such expressions!

Harry opened his mouth to try to speak but all that came out was a growling, mewling sound. God he sounded so pathetic.

 _You're a hell cat Potter, do you really think you would be able to talk like a human?_ The increasingly familiar voice drawled.

 _Well how would I know that?_ Harry hissed back, speaking in his head and trying to will his words to reach the other panther.

The older cat seemed to chuckle again. The laughs coming out as growling breaths

 _You can't mind speak yet, it's something you'll have to learn, all I get from you is some emothions. You will have a lot to learn but first you'll have to learn how to change back into a human._ The panther stood on his four powerful legs as he spoke. Shaking out his coat as he did so.

Harry would have been even more freaked out with how much the older cat towered over him more while he was standing, but he was too relieved to care.

 _I can turn back_. He really should have been panicking more, seriously, he turned into a cat after hours of torture, then he nearly gets killed by his cousin and uncle then the wakes up next to another panther-cat like himself that apparently can talk.

He was probably gonna have a breakdown later when everything came back to hit him hard in the face, but at the moment he was way to relived with the fact that he wasn't stuck as a cat for the rest of his life He would worry about his sanity later.

 **~oo0O0oo~**

Severus did not know what he was expecting when he apperated into Surry. The neighborhood it self was eerie to him. All the houses on Privet drive were the same, same color same sized fences, same structure house. The only thing that told him that each home belonged to different people and families were the little personal touches on the lawns and doorways. Everything in the neighborhood was pristine and perfect. It was scary.

When he reached number 4 the feeling in the back of his head that had been buzzing annoyingly soon felt a hord of angry bees were vibrating in his head. His instincts were going heywire, telling him he had to hurry that he had to protect. But what was he to protect?

Looking at the home of Harry Potter he couldn't think of anything that could be wrong. The house was perfect like every other one on the block. The lawn was cut evenly and the bushes of flowers were trimmed. It was almost obsessive how perfict everything was. So why was he feeling so anxious?

Walking up to the door, he could feel his heart hammering, not in frear but adrenalin. He knocked loudly and waited.

There was sounds of scuffling and whispered voices before sickily sweet voice called out "Coming!" there was more scuffling and Severus could feel his already slim patience dim even farther. He knocked again.

When the door opened and he saw the face of Lily's sister open the door, looking for all the world like a normal happy wife before her face fell at the sight of him. He smirked a bit.

"Vernon! It's one of them!" The female banshee screeched. Severus winced unnoticeable at the high pitch sound, he had sensitive hearing. He had to resist the urge to rub at his temples for his headache.

There was loud thumping that Snape first thought was banging on a wall before Petunia's husband came to her aid. Severus could feel his eye twitch a bit at the sight of the purple faced whale that stood next to the stick-like horse-faced woman. Oppsites really do attract.

"Good afternoon Dursley, my name is Professor Snape from Hogwarts, I have come to check in with your nephew," Severus said politely, although his tone sounded anything but friendly. He felt a stab of pity for the boy, having to live with animals, a horse and whale to be exact.

"We don't want your kind here, it's bad enough you dumped that freak on our doorstep. Leave! Get off my property!" The beast of a man snarled. Severus felt whatever patience he had left snap. This disgusting human thing dared to snarl at him? This is the first time he had even met the man and already he knew this was one man he wouldn't mind getting aquanted with the dangerous end of his wand.

He drew his wand, knowing they weren't going to tell him where the boy was. He felt sedistic pleasure as the fat man pailed and gasped eyes wide. Petunia gave an annoying little screech that made him ground his teeth. He heard a feafull squeek somwhere down the hall but he didn't acknowledge it.

"I don't give a damn about what you want, where is the boy?" Severus hissed back jabbing his wand into the man's throat.

He was just about to shove his way into the home when there was a howl of pain and anger and pain filled animal yowl.

The instincts that had been nearly overwhelming him for the past ten minutes that he had been in the muggle town finally over came him and he forced his way pasted the whale and into the living room where the sound came from.

"Get out of my house!" the fat man shouted after him but he was already in the living room. Rounding the corner he saw a boy around Potter's age holding a cat by it's hind leg.

It only took one good look at the cat to realize, it was Potter. He had come into his inheritance and these muggles had hurt him

Without a second thought Severus snatched the boy-turned-kitten out of the baby whale's hands who was too scared to move or make a sound of protest. He stroked the kitten's fur soothiing the pained sounds. And pulled the boy closer to him. His portective instincts feeling appeased now that the child was safe in his arm where he could be kept safe.

The father whale stood behind him when he turned his wand in hand forcing the huge man back at a safe distance, his horse-wife sheilded herself behind his large mass as she stared at the wand pointed at her direction.

"I will return, mark my words you filty excuse of a human, you will pay," Snape hissed menacingly. With that he turned away and marched out of the home. He would of loved to have hexed thoes muggles within an inch of their lives but the shivering boy-turned-kitten was more important and needed help now. There was no telling what the Dursleys had done to him before he ahd gotten there. But, being the man he was, Severus couldn't just leave before they paid at least a little he turned around so he was standing facing number 4 Privet Drive and with a complex movement of his wand and muttered latten he felt satified.

Severus smirked sedisticaly as he heard the shout at of the fat man as he reached the end of the block. He couldn't wait till the curse started to take effect. It would be only a small taste of the pain the Dursleys would soon be going through.

 **~oo0O0oo~**

 **Sorry again if this seems short or unfinished, like I said I was gonna add more but I wanted your opinions on some ideas before I continued and I wasn't gonna ask in an arthur's note.**

 **so one question is, how do you want Harry's human form to look?  
This story was origionally based off the story "Cub" so those of you who have read it know that Harry had the human form of a 4yr old. So I wanna know if you guys think I should follow that path or should I make Harry his normal age? Or maybe only slightly younger? No matter the choice you'll be seeing Harry acting a bit more childish because of how his kind age so it is more of the matter what his physical age will look like.**

 **Next question is kinda weird. I had this idea of Snape breastfeeding Harry in his panther form. Weird right? So I was wondering if you guys liked that idea. I can make it so he breastfeeds harry only when he's a cub and only in his panther form or it can be both when they are in animal forms and human. Or if you don't like the idea I wont include it at all and stick to the origial bottle feeding idea. I personally like the idea of The bonding that breastfeeding can develope but I can find other ways to bring it out.**

 **So thats it for the questions, I would appreciate it if you guys write you answers as a review so I can see them on my phone.**

 **Any other ideas are welcome please also write them as reviews**

 **That all for now, I promise to get back into the habbit of writing again so look out for updates! Next Chapter will be much longer**

 **~Wolfy**


	4. Chapter 4

**Sorry I haven't updated guys, I really don't feel like getting into my reasons why I haven't** **updated and I dont want to bore you so we'll move on**

 **So** **about the question about breastfeeding or not. I have decided to included it but it will only be in animal form. The rest of the time it will either be a bottle or normal food.**

 **Oh and for those of you who find male breastfeeding unrealistic here's a funfact. All mammals are capable of breastfeeding. It take a certain hormone to make milk. Males normally cannot produce this hormone but there has been cased where men have lactated. Men could even take hormones if they wanted to produce breastmilk though its not usually done.**

 **So there we go! Not so unrealistic now. if you don believe me you are free to research it. its pretty interesting.**

 **Oh I also noticed when rereading the last chapter that I forgot to place quotations around the mind speech so this is to clear up the confusion**

-"Normal speech"

 _-"Mind speech"_

 _-Personal thoughts_

 **I may add more later if I find reason to, I'll give you all a heads up if I do.**

 **So here's the next chapter I hope you like it** **please review**!

 **~oo0O0oo~**

 ** _Chapter #4_**

Harry stared at the panther for a long moment. His panic temporarily pushed to the back of his mind as the nagging feeling of familiarity dominated his thoughts. This panther was far too familiar to him, the thought was impossible, because really, he was sure he would have remembered running into a talking panther. Even compared to all his misadventures since entering Hogwart, a talking animal still would have stuck out in his mind, like the snake in the zoo. So the thought rang so clear in his mind that even the other panther would have been able to hear it.

 _Why was this panther so familiar!?_

 **~oo0O0oo~**

The elder panther watched the kitten amused. The kitten's thoughts rang through his own head in a jumbled mess of half formed word and emotions. To Severus, it sounded very much like baby babble.

What was even more amusing was the fact that the kitten was completely oblivious to the adorably disgruntled huffs, growls and mewls he was making as he became frustrated when he couldn't grasp the answer that was on the tip of his tongue.

Despite the chaos that was the mind of the infant hell cat, Severus could still make out a general idea of the kitten's thoughts. it seemed boy turned cat was slowly grasping the larger cat's identity. He could have put the babe out of his misery and simply told him who he was, but where was the fun in that? Severus simply laid elegantly on his belly, not far from the kitten, and watched with barely hidden amusement as it dawned on the kitten who the older cat reminded him of.

~ **oo0O0oo** ~

Harry felt dread creep down his spine like icy fingers. he looked up at the face of the no-linger-mysterious panther and saw the very familiar condescending (to him) smirk, _How is he smirking? He's a cat!_ and knew without a doubt who this cat reminded him of.

 _"Snape!?"_ he screamed in his mind. He knew that the larger cat probably didn't understand his thoughts, but the was no mistaking his body language.

In an instant Harry's ears flattened, eyes widened in shock, his back arched, fur bristling, and he curled in on himself painfully with his injured leg.

The larger panther seemed to huff and did the equivalent of rolling his eyes in exasperation at the kitten's reaction. To Harry, this just further proved the identity of the big cat and he unconsciously whimpered and hissed. He couldn't seem to focus enough to tell if he was scared or angry. His emotions were a jumbled mess and only made him panic.

 _"Oh will you calm down you foolish child,"_ Snape's voice called in his head. _"You'll undo all my hard work and I am in no mood to fix you again."_

The voice of his professor in his head was enough to free harry of his panicked stupor. he gasped a breath, his heart hammering form the shock of his emotions overwhelming him in a way they hadn't since he was a child.

With this return to reality the pain from his wounds hit him harder than the express at full speed. His sudden and violent reactions aggravated hihis deeply bruised and broken body. There wasn't a spot on him that didnt hurt. He could do nothing but cry and mewl in pain, his body trembling.

Harry could think of nothing but the pain that racked his tiny body. He was distantly aware if the sound of someone cursing under their breath and the sound of sudden movement, then of clothing moving. It seemed like hours but it was only moments before large hands with long potion stained fingers gently lifted him. He cried out in pain and fear. His pained mind and uncontrollable emotions unable to process who was holding him and what was happening. Only pain and fear. Then the rubber tip of something was forced into his mouth and disgusting liquid spilled down his throat before he could spit it out. after the first swallow of the liquid the pain started to abate. Harry was then able to regain some sense, and in the quest of more relief, started sucking on the rubber nib, ignoring the taste of what he now realized was a potion.

He took three large gulps of the potion before it ran out and he was left suckling the rubber nib. the lain was almost completely gone now and Harry was back to his senses. he took a moment just to relax and bask in the lack of pain, something he hadn't felt in a long while, not even caring that he was still suckling on the rubber nib still in his mouth.

Harry was perfectly content in laying there in his pain free bliss and pretend to be oblivious to the world around him. but it seemed that reality was not through with him yet.

"Now if you're quite done with overreacting and hurting yourself," said the voice of his painful dose of reality, or as he knew him, Professor Severus Snape. "I believe there are still some things that we should discuss."

Harry felt the rubber nib thing tugged free from his mouth. He opened his eyes in time to see the professor pull a baby bottle away from him. If he was human Harry would of been flushing madly. as it were, he squirmed embarrassedly, in what he realized was his meanest professor's lap, causing to squeak in horror and squirm even more.

Snape sighed in exasperation as he glared down at the squirming kit.

"Would you stop squirming Potter so i can place you down," the potions professor huffed as he once again lifted the boy turned kitten carefully.

It was as his professor was lifting him that Harry realized that the panther was gone and the teacher now was in his place. _So he can change back into a human, wait he looks different!_ Harry thought to himself as he looked up at his professor from the nest of pillows and blankets he woke up on before.

The cursed dungeons bat did indeed ssport a new look. Snape looked pretty much the same, with his shoulder lenth greasy looking hair, his beak like nose, his sneering expression, and his cold dark eyes. But now his face was covered in the same rex tribal marking his cat form sported. His ears were pointed in the same way had seen on elves in the few movies he was able to peak at. His nails were filed to a clean, menacing pint only a few cecentimeters long. When he spoke Harry caught the glimpse of fangs in his mouth. and swaying elegantly behind the man were two sleek black tails with puffed tips.

 _What the bloody hell is going on!_

It was too much! first he turns into a weird looking cat, even worse a kitten! Then his uncle and cousin try to kill him. Then he gets rescued. He wakes up to a talkibg pather-cat-thing that turbs out to be his least favorite professor who he is sure hates him. And now this. He must be insane, that's the only logical explanation. Even in the magical, world this was just too much.

"If you give me a moment to explain I would clear much of your confusion," Snape huffed, once again breaking him out of his rampant thoughts. What was going on? This wasn't the first time something crazy had happened to him, he never freaked out quite like this or lost control of his emotions this much before.

"It's because you are a kitten now," Snape stated, somehow reading the question projected through his thoughts and emotions. Harry mewed in question, his thoughts calming down as he focused on what his professor was saying. "you are a kitten now, a baby hell cat, babies cant control their emotions, and being and empathetic species, you're emotions are much stronger and more out of control than if you were human," Snape continued as he took a seat in the armchair besides the nest so he could talk to Harry.

Harry's nose wrinkled at the term _'empathetic species_ ,' he was no idiot, despite what Snape may think, he knew what empathetic ment but it was the term he didnt understand, obviously it had to do with emotions.

"At least you are not completely hopeless," Snape drawls, hos eyes studying the kitten. he was too busy tending to his wounds, then to his reactions when awake to study the kitten. "Yes, hell cats are a species of magical cats that take a human like form, we are usually born in this form and gain our cat for later in life. we are able to sense the emotions of those around us, this also gives us the ability to comunicate with others who are also empathetic. Beings with the ability to feel or manipulate emotions are called empaths. This abilty is almost unheard of in wizards but is seen in other creatures, such as us."

Harry took a moment to absorb all that his teacher said. the thing that stood out most at the moment was the fact that Snape was basically implying that they, he, wasn't human.

"You are right, we are not humans, we are a rare race of magical beings that have been dying out for a long time, there are so few of our kind, we were once hunted for out powers and made into exotic pets for power hungry purebloods and muggles. we usually stay hidden. soon the world thought us extinct, and they still do. the muggle world wrote us off as legends and myths," Snape hummed in thought as he paused. He linked his fingers together and rested his elbows on his knees and leaned his head down till his chin rested in his clasped hands. He looked at Harry who looked back with huge wary green eyes.

Harry mewed in sadness, it seemed that anytime there were those who stood out in any way as differen't were prosecuted. Muggleborns and purebloods, wizards during the witch hunts, werewolves, any creature that could be used to empower someone else were abused. The example stretch throughout muggle and magical history, it just plain sad and frustrating. His thoughts were still swimming with questions and Snape seemed to sense it because he stared a moment longer befor standing up from his seat. In seconds, were the tall scary potions professor once was, stood a panther. Harry blinked in surprise. it was like watching Sirius turn into Padfoot, without the pop though. Snape took a moment to shake out his fur a bit befor stepping into the nest. Harry scrambled backwards clumsily as the panther laid down in the nest and turned towards him.

" _T_ _his is going to be a long conversation. You may not be able to mind speak but im able to feel all your questions. So lets start with your first one,"_ Snape said in his mind. _"Hell cats are born humans, our cat forms awaken when we reach a certain age. It varies a bit, but most awaken around 14 to 17 years old. then they become what you are now, a kitten. This is because Hell cats have extremely long lifespans, so from now on your aging in your human form will slow. You're human form will have changed as well, as you saw on me, you gain the charaistics of your cat form, your body will also be come younger, to balance your cat form and mentality. I hide my markings and tails with a glamor anchored to a chain I keep under my clothing."_

Snape paused to let Harry process a bit. Harry sat wide eyed. extended lifelifespan, deaged body, how old was he gonna be? will he out live his friends?Snape answered soon after th thoughts crossed his mind.

 _"Yes you will probably outlive your friends, but wizards have extended lifesplifespans as well, not as much as yours or mine, but still a long while yet so do not concern yourself with that now. You need to rest Potter. The potion only made you feel better, you still need to heal and rest, I will not have you undo all my hard work!"_ Snape said sternly. His eyes narrowing as Harry immediately started to make grumpy protesting noises.

 _"Enough! We can discuss more tomorrow, your body will crash soon, you should be feeling it now."_

As he said it Harry started to feel a sudden rush if drowsiness overcome him. He could feel a soft pressure in the back of his mind almost compelling him to lay down and sleep. before he really regestered what he was doing he slowly shuffled closer to the larger panther befor curling into the larger cat's warm fur of his belly. Any thoughts of this being his most hated professor that he was snuggling with drifted away like leaves on a stream as he fell asleep. before he fell completely into Morpheus's arms, he could of sworn he geard his professor whisper something to him in an almost tender voice.

~oo0O0oo~

Severus sighed as he mentally pushed the kitten to sleep. Even if heas more like Lily than he thought, the foolish kit was still very much like his father in some ways.

The child was stubborn and brash and always jumped before looking. but the way he reacted to the tale of their kind being hunted, his sadness for others he did not even know and his explosive temper, that was all his motger.

 _"Foolish child"_

Severus was jolted from his thoughts as he felt a tiny mouth latch onto one of the teats on this belly and suckle. He turned to the kitten to see him trying to nurse and cursed himself. He had forgotten, Potter was a very young kitten now, basically a newborn, he would need to nurse or be breastfed. If only his mother was still... well there was no point in wishing in the impossible.

With another sigh he hesitated before whispering latin words though his mind. His eyes glowed a brilliant gold for an instant till the spell was finished, then they returned to their original dark onyx.

Harry mewled happily as warm sweet milk spilled from tge teat he was unconsciously latched onto. He snuggled closer to Severus feeling warm and safe and content for now.

Severus watched in silent awe as the kitten fed from him. The he used spell was used for mothers who had trouble producing breastmilk, of course it worked in anyone and the kitted was too far gone to wake for a bottle so it was the only thing he could think of doing, it wasnt unusual in his species for the father to nurse his kitten if the mother couldn't, Severus just never expected he would ever have to do it himself. As he watched the tiny black kitten suckle, curled up in a little ball, twin tails twitching in sleep, he could feel a warmth blooming that he hadn't expected so soon. The parental bond, he expected it, his instincts pushed him to care for the kitten, their kind was very family oriented, not that he would have left the kit to suffer even if he was potter's spawn, but he thought it would take more time.

He growled in frustration, he was overwhelmed aswell, he wasn't expecting potter to be one of his kind. He wasn't expecting every preconception of patter to be washed down the drain when he entered that house and heard that scream of pain. He wasn't expecting to become a parent, because thats what he essentially was now, all in one day. It was too much to process.

He once again stared down at the nursing kitten for a long moment. _If I am to do this, I will do it right, if I'm to be a father, then I'll be a better one than my own, a better father than Potter._ Severus promised himself. First he had to start by learning about the kitten, who he really was being the boy whi lived.

leaning down, severus nuzzled and licked the kitten ince befor he laid down to sleep. They would talk more in the morning, tomorrow was the start of something new.

~oo0O0oo~

 **So that it for now, what do you think? I kinda rushed it towards the end, my brain was frying and the chapter was getting long for me.**

 **More will be explained in the next chapter, I just need to plan out their reactions more and how everything will be explained. there'll be more emotions because I think Harry would of reacted more violently to the rush of new life-changing info. How about we just say it was the exhaustion that kept him from freaking out ok? There'll be more realistic emotions and reactions next chapter when Harry really processes it all.**

 **And what about the breast feeding scene, it wasnt too bad now was it? XP No worries it won't be an 'all the time' thing in this story, its more of an experiment.**

 **I wonder how Harry will react when he wakes up.**

 **Any questions you want answered please write as a review, I may answer them in the next chapters.**

 **Please review, no flames though ok?**

 **~Wolfy**


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